Midnight Prayer
by dourdan
Summary: Dr. Jake Riley is a seemingly normal man, but when a bizarre car crash leaves him on the brink of death his soul meets up with the ghost of his wife Lily. She takes him to Midnight, Texas a city inhabited by a special team. The crash was no accident. Jake is being targeted by a powerful demon. With the help of the Midnighters he must find a way to drive it back to hell.
1. Into the fire

Dr. Jake Reilly: tall dark and handsome never described someone so perfect. The mid-forties Hispanic man stood at six-foot-two with caramel colored skin and dark eyes that drew women in. The eyes of a husband, a father, a kind man who lived for his patients and his family.

With his cheekbones, his smile, his masculine beauty. It was no wonder the man was a fertility doctor. What woman wouldn't trust their body to someone so stunning?

He was a good man, who finally had everything he could ever want in his life. His step-daughter Angela was at a great college headed towards a future his late wife would have been proud of. His current wife, Addison was his co-worker and best friend- a remarkable woman who opened his heart to love after so many years of heartache. And there was Henry, their adopted baby who he loved with every fiber of his being.

Because of course he did: his job was babies. Bringing new life into the world. Jake Riley was a good man. He was also a man who was about to get cut off, on the Los Angeles freeway by a semi-truck that, as the police would later determine, had lost its breaks. His car flipped three times, before slamming into the divider. He was knocked unconscious, while his body was trapped in the wreckage his soul was taken to a safe place.

Jake awoke on a park bench, wearing a white button down shirt and white slacks. He touched his hand, his wedding ring was gone. The bench was similar to the one he used to frequent to speak to the ghost of his wife Lily, a stunning Latina beauty who had died of an overdose in her thirties.

He could feel a woman's hands caressing his face down his neck. "You're okay, baby," Lily's voice whispered in his ear.

He could feel the warmth of her breath. "Lily, is that you?"

"Yeah it's me, you can sit up if you like, you're safe here," she said with tears in her eyes.

He looked up to see her face. She smiled her sweet smile, the way she smiled on their wedding day. She was also dressed in all white, a long sundress that flowed past her knees. "Where are we?" he asked her.

"Texas," she said with a grin, "Midnight, Texas to be precise."

"Am I dead?" he asked.

"You're not dead, and I won't leave your side until you cross over or cross back," she explained. "Even though you are so beautiful and I miss you so much; I want you to go back; you have so much living to do," she said. As her eyes lovingly met his Lily started to unbutton his shirt. Her mouth inches away from his.

He cupped her face with his hands, fully intending to kiss her. "I've missed you, Lily."

"Can we maybe hold off on that?" asked a voice from above. A tall blonde angel landed. With his rugged looks and long blonde hair, he had the appearance of a Texas cowboy.

Lily took the man's hand. "Sorry, Joe I got carried away with the moment. Jake this is Joe, my friend. Joe this is Jake, the love of my life who's going to save Midnight and the world."

Jake loved Lily too much to question her. He simply shook the angel's hand. "I guess," Jake muttered.

Joe nodded. "You seem like a nice enough fella, let's get you into town to meet the rest of the crew."

When Jake's body was pulled from the wreckage the paramedics saw his hospital ID: St. Ambrose Hospital. It was also the closest hospital since he had been on his way to work.

"Room 7B- broken legs, spinal fracture and severe cranial hemorrhaging!" shouted the nurse to Dr. James Peterson, the young emergency room doctor who came to L.A. from Tennessee. He was not a religious man but he crossed himself. Jake was someone important, so dear to so many people. He made James feel welcome, accepted into the close knit family of St. Ambrose Hospital. He even played a role in getting James' girlfriend to go out with him- Dr. Amelia Shepherd, a talented neurosurgeon with dark brown hair and the most beautiful, innocent eyes.

The paramedics had Jake's heart and lungs stabilized but James could already see fragments of glass, and metal in his hands, and face.

"Get me a head x-ray, start an IV of blood thinners, antibiotics and painkillers- and page Dr. Amelia Shepherd- NOW!" James shouted. He slammed his fists into the wall. Dr. Amelia Shepherd was the greatest neurosurgeon he had ever met if anyone could save him, it was her.

"And page Dr. Charlotte King!" he added. Charlotte was the head of the hospital. The beautiful blonde was like King Arthur she ruled over every department, every decision. Every doctor was her friend but also her soldier, her warriors. She would want to know if one of her knights lay dying on a gurney.

"Should I page Dr. Addison Montgomery?" the young blonde nurse asked. She knew Addison was Jake's wife, the whole hospital did. Their love story was like a fairy-tale.

James shook his head. "No, I'm going to leave that decision to Charlotte."

When Amelia arrived James put his arms around her. "There's bleeding in his brain. If he suffers a stroke, in this state, he's going to end up paralyzed, possibly even blind."

"Not on my watch," she said as she pushed past him.

Amelia entered the room. She held Jake's hand, as she touched his bruised up face with the other. "Hey Jake, you held my hand all those months ago, now it's my turn. You're going to see your baby again because I won't let you leave us." Amelia had a vested interest in saving him. A former junkie she became pregnant the night her boyfriend, Ryan, died in her arms. Unfortunately, her baby was destined to be born without a brain. Jake supported her decision to carry the baby to donate its organs- he fought for her even when everyone else thought she was insane or a monster. He was her friend, her hero.

Charlotte King arrived: she was a blonde super model beauty with a southern accent and the demeanor of a high school principal. "James, do you have him on blood thinners? Did you page his wife?"

"Yes he is on blood thinners but I wanted Amelia to take a look at him before I paged his wife," he explained. The blood thinners were to prevent a stroke, but they also would hinder his body's ability to clot in the event that he had organ damage.

"But you need Addison to authorize Amelia to cut into Jake's head," she pointed out.

Suddenly the x-rays were handed to James. Amelia grabbed the images from his hands. "We need to get him to an OR," Amelia declared. "He's minutes away from bleeding out. We can get Addison's permission later."


	2. Magic

Jake, with Joe and Lily, were taken to a small diner where they met up with a unique cast of characters. "Welcome," said a brunette girl who appeared to be in her early twenties. "The name's Creek, this here is Fiji, Manfred, Creek, Lemuel, Olivia and Reverend Sheehan."

Jake's mind was running on instinct he had already met an angel clearly every one of these people possessed a special ability. He looked to Lily. "I don't know why I'm here?"

Fiji, the beautiful African American woman with long curly hair stood up. There was a cat at her feet. She took Jake by the hand. In his hand, she placed seven crystals. "You are the chosen one."

"We should step outside," the orange cat said.

The first crystal she held up was a dark black. "Summon the moon," the woman whispered.

Jake looked to the bright sky. "Summon the moon?" With his words, the sky suddenly went from day to night.

Fiji cupped her hands over her mouth. "That was amazing. Try these."

"What are they?" Jake asked.

"Lily says you're a doctor, so I'm certain you can figure them out."

The red, "Summon fire!" A blaze erupted from his hand.

The blue, "Summon water!" A rush of water washed over his body.

The green, "Summon.. earth?" Nothing happened. "Summon plants?" Still nothing. "Summon… life?"

"No!" Lily cried.

Jake was shot back into his body.

Amelia had managed to stop the bleeding in his brain. Jake wouldn't go blind, but he was far from stabilized. There were broken bones in his legs, hips, and chest, along with severe organ damage. There was still the possibility he would never walk again.

When his wife finally was allowed to see him he had a breathing tube down his throat. Addison couldn't speak. She had lost so many men in her life to tragedy.

Charlotte held her hand. "He's strong"

"When I proposed to him, I said 'I want you to be the last man I say I love you too' and I meant it," she said with tears in her eyes.

"I love you, Addison."

Charlotte stood by her with her strong southern confidence. "Focus Addison- you need to go home, bring the baby here, we can have one of the residents look after him. And you need to contact Jake's step-daughter."

Angela was spending a semester in Europe with her boyfriend, but she still had e-mail.

"Dear Angela, you need to come home," Addison wrote. Jake raised the girl as his own and when her mother died when she was only eleven he cared for her as a single dad. "Your father was in a very bad accident. I'm going to purchase a ticket for you if you show up the flight- which I know you will. I will see you tomorrow."

Addison drove back to the hospital with the baby. When she returned to his side Amelia was with him. "Amelia, why does he still have a fever?"

"His spleen had been ruptured, and his kidneys are failing. But he's already on emergency dialysis," she explained. Emergency dialysis meant a port was cut into his abdomen.

"Get him back into surgery!" Addison shouted.

"He can't be put under again, not this soon after cutting into his brain," Amelia pointed out.

Charlotte entered the room. She extended her arms for both a hug and an offer to take the baby. "Give the medications time to do their thing."

"Would you be so calm it that was your husband?" Addison cried.

"No I wouldn't be," Charlotte said holding the now crying baby. "If you want him to go under again, say the word."

"What?" Amelia said. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "He could have a stroke! You wouldn't risk this for any other patient- why risk it for him?"

"Because we can't watch him die," Charlotte replied.

"He's in too much pain," Amelia said. "You put him under again his body will be forced to fight a battle on multiple fronts."

"Get his spleen out," Addison said, leaving the room.

"You don't even know if that's the source of the infection!" Amelia cried. "His legs are broken, his ribs are broken – you can't do this."

"I want him in surgery," Addison said quickly before she could change her mind.

Amelia left the room to prep. Jake survived the surgery, but moments later he had a very bad seizure: the scar tissue in his brain was bleeding cutting off oxygen. Addison would have wanted Jake back in the OR but Amelia refused. "Jake," the young neurosurgeon said as she held his hand. "Look for the angels."

The pain Jake's chest was becoming unbearable. It was then he noticed he was still holding the stone. He closed his eyes and said to himself, "Summon death."

When he opened his eyes he was back in Midnight, back at the diner as if he had never left. Fili grabbed his arm, "We need to speak privately."

The tall blonde woman stood up. "Whatever you need to say to him you say in front of all of us."

"Fine, Olivia. Jake, I need to explain you about the use of the death summons. It is vital that you use 'summon life' to periodically return to your body," she explained. "During your time in midnight, your body will be suffering deep fevers that your colleges will not be able to treat because they have no source. The longer you are here, the more your body will break down. Your organs will start to fail, and then your brain will begin to shut down. And when it's all over your body will go up in flames."

"Then let me go back now!"

"You just saw what happens when you go back. As long as the demon has you cursed your body will never heal."

"A demon?" Jake asked as he started to back away.

Olivia stood up. "Oh my god, is this guy for real? I'm an assassin; my lover is a vampire- hell you were brought here by your dead wife and an angel."

The tall African American vampire grabbed her arm. "He is afraid, his reaction is only human."

Fiji offered Jake as a seat at the table. "This is a real town. If you drove her in your body you can and would find all of us here."

"Why am I here?" Jake cried.

Manfred, the tall sexy gypsy who looked like Johnny Knoxville stood up, "You are here because it knew to target you- it caused the accident. But if you can kill it, you will hold back the invasion."

"Summon Life."


	3. Open the gates

Jake opened his eyes. He could feel the throbbing pain of the fever in the bright blinding light of his hospital room he could barely focus his vision. He saw his wife, Addison, holding their son. He could feel his mangled legs held together by a metal device meant to hold the pieces together while the bones grew back. The agonizing pain was so intense, his body went into shock. Jake reached for his wife's hand.

"I'm here, Jake, I'm, here," Addison said.

Due to the breathing tube, he still could not speak. As he tried to move the muscles in his back were so disfigured his body started to convulse. "Don't try to move," Addison said, gripping his hand. "You have a herniated disk and…nerve damage." She didn't want to reveal the truth. Her husband's back was covered in lesions: open wounds that were refusing to heal or even stop bleeding.

Angela arrived. She had taken a taxi straight from the air port. Amelia met her outside the ICU.

"Hi, I'm Amelia, I'm not sure if you remember me," she said through tears.

"Yeah you were at my dad's wedding," Angela replied. The young college student wore her long black hair in a ponytail, it was clear she had tried to sleep on the plane with to no avail. "How bad is it?"

"It's bad," Amelia answered.

At the sight of his body, Angela started to cry hysterically. Amelia hugged her. "You know he's strong, he's so strong."

"Is he in pain?" Angela asked.

"I'm not going to lie to you," Amelia replied.

Angela nodded. "Can he hear me?"

"He's been slipping in and out of consciousness," Amelia said, desperate not to cry, she hated to cry.

Jake opened his eyes. The sight of his step-daughter filled his heart with joy. Angela kissed his forehead. "Hi daddy," she suddenly recoiled. She turned to Addison. "Why is burning up?"

Addison held her one-year-old son close, trying to find strength. "We've been running tests, but we can't seem to pin point the source of the fever. But the theory we're leaning towards is blood poisoning, due to the infection in his back."

That night as he slept with Addison and Angela watching over him Jake suddenly had severe pain in his chest, as if being stabbed through the heart. While in the throes of a seizure, his body went into cardiac arrest.

Jake was sent for an MRI that revealed something unusual. He was developing strange growths on his heart. Jake wanted to live, he needed to live. "Summon death."

This time when he arrived at the diner only Fiji, Manfred and Lily remained.

Fiji put her arms around Jake, "I knew you would make it back."

Jake shoved her away. "I thought you said going back to my body would prevent further damage!"

Manfred grabbed his arm, "We underestimated this demon, but you do have the ability to defeat it."

"How?" Jake asked, "With these?!" he hurled the stones at Fiji.

"You have to trust us!" Manfred shouted. "We want this thing gone just as much as you do."

"Easy for you to say- It's not killing you!"

"If it kills you, we are all next!"

Lily stepped between them. "Did you see Angela?"

The thought of Angela calmed Jake. "Yeah, she looks more and more like you every day."

"We need to speak to Joe," Lily said. "Once you know the game plan you will be able to trust us, I promise."

The group made their way to Strong Angel Tattoo and nail salon. There they met Joe and his husband Chuy, who greeted Lily with a hug. "¡mi niña hermosa!"

"Yo tambien te extrañe," Lily replied with a smile.

"You know each other?" Jake asked.

"All angels know each other," Lily replied.

"Which brings us to why you are here," Joe said as he took a seat, sitting backward with his arms over the chair like a hipster. "As you are aware you are a fertility doctor, you deal in babies."

"So do a lot of people," Jake pointed out.

Joe laughed, "How do I say this? I'm not sure if there is a data base that can verify what I am about to tell you but… you have more success in creating embryos than any other fertility doctor."

Jake held his head in his hands, he looked to Lily, "What?"

Lily sighed, "All babies come from heaven, recycled souls if you will."

"I have a friend who can explain a little better…" Joe said standing up. "Ryan!"

Suddenly a man appeared he had pale skin, dark eyes, and dark hair. "Dr. Reilly, I remember you," the man said. "You stood up for Amelia the day I died."

"I'm so sorry," Jake cried. He remembered the day. Amelia was on oxy, he was the only one to advocate to release her. The young doctor went on to wake up next to her lover's dead body. "If I had stood strong you would still be alive."

Ryan laughed, "Not likely.

"What?" Jake was confused.

"Our lives pre-determined which that is the reason why everyone here already knows you are going to succeed."

Joe stood up, "Ryan, maybe that's a little too much simplification. All creatures have free will."

Ryan nodded. "I know, you choose to live as a tattoo artist with the man you love, despite the fact that certain individuals are very pissed." He looked back towards Jake. "Anyway, Jake Riley you command an army at your disposal, more than enough power to defeat Pestilence."

Lily looked frightened, "Pestilence, as in the four horsemen of the apocalypse?"

"Where is the nearest hospital?" Jake asked. Everyone looked at him strangely. "I assume that would be the easiest way to locate the demon God of sickness."

Ryan laughed, "As an L.A. native I can see where you're coming from, but here in Midnight we roll a bit differently."

The team headed to Fiji's house where Manfred prepared a room to summon the demon. He laid down salt, iron, and holy candles. Fiji hung talismans that would alert the team to the demon's arrival. Everyone took a step back as Manfred, the young fortune teller held five different summoning stones. "Pestilence, I summon thee. Appear before us, face the warriors of earth with honor and dignity."

The house shook. Lily opened her eyes, they glowed red with evil. "Did I frighten you?" she giggled. "But seriously- honor and dignity? Did you really think I of all people would fight fair?"

Manfred rifled through his supply bag. Suddenly Chuy's eyes started to glow. "Wikipedia calls be the antichrist, I assure you I didn't edit that myself."

As Chuy and Lily's eyes returned to normal Jake started to cough.

"This is not possible," Fiji cried.

Joe's eyes glowed, "Oh It is! Give me the doctor's soul and I will spare all of your lives!"

"The word of a demon doesn't hold much weight in these parts!" Manfred shouted. He held a wooden cross pendant over Jake's body touching it to the man's forehead.

"That will make things a little complicated."

Jake suddenly felt a blow to his back, as if he was punched by an unseen force. The room went quiet. "Is he gone? Lily asked.

Manfred closed his eyes, "I can't feel anything. What about you Fiji?"

"Nothing…" She intuitively gripped Jake. "Jake, are you in pain?"

Jake collapsed backward landing hard on his shoulder. "My chest hurts…"

"Lay back," Fiji pressed her head to Jake's chest. "Oh, God!"

"What?" asked Manfred.

"He has a heartbeat…" Fiji said frantically.

"Crap…" Joe muttered.

Lily looked to Fiji, confused. "Please fill me in…"

Jake had already pieced together the situation. "I should not have a heart beat because my body is in a hospital in California."


	4. Power of three

"It's going after his body," Manfred already had a plan. "We need to get to California but there is no way we're going to beat Pestilence there. What you need is to summon a guardian." He took Jake's hand, "Lucky for you, you have quite a few at your disposal." His eyes were closed in deep concentration as if he was reading through the browser history of Jake's life. "…the power of three- that's it!"

"Like that television show?" Jake asked.

"The premise of Charmed was founded in real magic," said Fiji. "Throughout the world, there are powerful Triads."

Jake realized what she was saying. "Are you talking about Charlotte King's daughters?" The strong powerful woman who ran the entire hospital became pregnant with triplets and nearly lost one. Jake was part of the team that saved the baby's life.

Fiji smiled, excitedly. "Do you know how rare it is for a woman to give birth to identical triplets- WITHOUT the use of invitro-fertilization. And it's no coincidence that the mother in question is a woman so powerful she runs your entire hospital."

Jake knew she had a point. In fact, after going into premature labor with her first daughter she was forced to lay on her back for months to prevent the loss of the other two babies. The entire time she still facilitated the hospital from the legal department, to payroll, all from her bed.

Manfred pulled a dusty book from his bag. "This book belonged to my grandmother. She was a powerful witch but not nearly as powerful as the Charlotte King's daughters. Here's what you do. First, either the mother or the father the babies have to be in the room. If the babies themselves are there- even better. You need to invoke the power of three; the trickster, the warrior and the mage. When the individual is in the room the exact working will come to you. But for right now, hold the stone and summon life."

Jake crossed himself. "Summon life."

Jake's eyes shot open, darting around the room. His body had contracted pneumonia to the point where even on the ventilator it was very painful for him to breathe. He moved his hand to signal whoever was in the room to his conscious state. That was when he saw her. "Charlotte." The tall blonde was holding his son in her arms.

"Jake," she rushed to his side. The baby started to cry. "It's ok Henry, your daddy is awake. He's going to pull through!"

She placed the baby in his arms, to wipe tears from her eyes. Henry rested his head on Jake's chest. The man took a deep breath focusing on the day he saved Charlotte's first baby. "Summon Georgia," he said only in his mind, "the warrior, the strong little angel who slipped from her mother's body four months too early. Against all odds, you survived. Please, I need your courage."

A tall female warrior appeared. The blonde woman wielded a sword and shield. "The demon is trying to kill you," she said looking around. "I need the help of my sisters."

The fact that he was able to summon one gave him hope. "I summon Rachel and Caroline, I trust in my heart you are heroes just like your mother."

A girl with a long blonde ponytail did a back flip from the ceiling. "Uncle Jake! It's me, Caroline!"

Another girl emerged from the floor. "The perimeter is secured." This girl wore a long robe like a wizard. "The demon is not getting anywhere near the building." She turned to Jake with tears in her eyes. Uncle Jake, my family owes you so much, allow me to heal you." The girl touched his chest immediately clearing his lungs. "I can clear your fever," she said touching her hand to his forehead. "You had better buy me a PS10 for my sixteenth birthday."

"If I survive this I promise you I will buy you diamonds…"

Rachel's hands moved to his throat. "Well diamonds will not allow me to finally play the reboot of Final Fantasy 11- It's going to be epic."

Jake was finally able to take a breath. "I promise I will spoil you rotten, and when the time comes, when your mother says you can't wear lipstick or a crop top I will always side with you."

"Why would I want to wear a crop top?" asked Rachel.

"He was just trying to be nice," answered Caroline. "You know our mother is a hard-ass." She kissed Henry's cheek. "Maybe one day one of us will date your beautiful son."

"Sorry," Rachel muttered, as she stroked Jake's face. "My sisters and I will protect you." She focused her powers but as she did she was forced backward. "No! I refuse to believe the demon is more powerful than me!"

Charlotte's phone rang, "Hello Miss Holly- Rachel has a fever?"

Jake panicked, "Please Rachel, I'm not worth it. I didn't summon you here to die."

"I'm not giving up on you, there's one last thing I can try- I can put all of the demon's curse onto your soul. When you wake up in Midnight your spirit form will be dying. And you will not be able to return to your body using magic. You will have 24 hours to make it back here or your soul will be destroyed."

Caroline did not fully agree with her sister's explanation. "Not actually destroyed, you'll go to heaven- you know what we mean. It would be one big f-you to Pestilence, but…"

Georgia finished her sister's thought. "He would likely take control of your body and start killing everyone you care about, including our parents."

"I'll make it back, I promise."

Rachel kissed his forehead. "I believe in you, Uncle Jake. You'll be by my side when I tell mom I don't want to go to medical school."

"Make sure I have a full set of body armor…"

Caroline laughed as she kissed his cheek. "Uncle Jake, please be safe. We all heard from our mother about what you did to Lily's drug dealer- you're a warrior. All of us, plus the creatures from Midnight- we can defeat Pestilence once and for all."

The three girls placed their hands upon his chest. "Be brave," Georgia said. "Summon death."


	5. Brave

Jake returned to Midnight his fever was so horrible he couldn't open his eyes. The pain in his chest coupled with the open sores on his back- he would not be able to stand.

"Get him in the truck!" Fiji shouted. Jake's body was loaded into the back of Joe's truck.

"Joe you drive with Jake and Fiji," Manfred instructed. "I'll follow with Lily, Chuy, Creek, and Olivia." Lem, the vampire was asleep in the main bed. There was no way the team would leave him behind, to take on Pestilence they would need all the help they could get.

As Fiji held Jake, stroking his face, "The superstar fertility doctor- yet you have no children of your own."

"I have my son and my daughter."

"I'm sorry that was disrespectful. I know you cared for Lily's daughter after her death and when you married Addison you cared for her adopted son. I just meant you had no children with your eyes and your beautiful smile."

Jake's hands trembled as he reached out to her. Even with the pain of the fever, he found the surface of the truck becoming unbearably warm. The sun was blindingly bright in the sky. "Are we in Texas?"

"Yeah, it is really hot out," Fiji said as if reading his mind. "But no, we're in Arizona."

"How did that happen? I thought when I use the stones I get returned to Midnight?"

"Since the stones belong to me, you return to wherever I am," Fiji explained. "Let me hold you." Jake was in so much pain his heart was close to stopping. But as Fiji held him he could feel relief. With a sudden burst of energy, he cupped her face and kissed her.

"Jake?" Fiji started to unbutton his shirt. She focused her powers on his chest.

"I want you… Addison."

Fiji knew what was happening, Jake was delusional with fever. "Yeah, it's me, your wife. I want you to know, I love you." She gripped his hand.

Jake rolled her on to her back, kissing her. "I love you too." His hand moved to his belt.

Fiji knew she needed to act quickly before things became truly uncomfortable. "I share thee." As she kissed him her body convulsed in agony, but she held on to him. She knew she needed to take enough of his pain on to herself for his soul to survive. When he collapsed on top of her she knew she had succeeded. She shoved his limp weight off of her.

Meanwhile, in Manfred's trailer, Manfred discussed with Olivia what exactly was the team going to do once they made it to Los Angeles. The blonde woman was sitting in the passenger seat. "How do we even locate the guy's body? I know he's probably in the ICU. But we don't even know the layout of the hospital."

"I know where he is, or at least I know how to find out. And I really doubt you will have any trouble getting us inside. Our biggest problem is going to be getting Pestilence to show us his real form. If he can take over anyone, he has no motivation to fight fair."

"So your plan is what?"

"I can command the dead and power of three can trap spirits and open portals. Together we should be able to convince Pestilence that it is in his best interest to fight in his actual form."

The group made it to Los Angeles by nightfall. But Jake was unconscious and Fiji could barely sit up. Lem carried her from the truck.

"That's not good," Olivia muttered.

"I'll be fine," Fiji assured the team. "Once I made contact with the three my health will be restored."

"Now how do we get Jake into the building," Manfred said, observing Jake's current state. I would offer to absorb his soul but that would interfere with my ability to control my powers.

"Not a problem," Fiji offered. "I've been siphoning his pain for the past few hours, we have enough of a connection, I can hold his soul inside of me long enough to get him to his body."

Olivia, as a human was worried. "Even with his illness?"

"Yes, like I said, get me to the power of three, and I'll be fine." Fiji stroked Jake's face. "Jacob Reilly, I give you my body." As she kissed him, his form became more and more transparent until he was nothing more than clouds of color drifting like smoke. Fiji's body started to convulse in agony as he was absorbed into her. She quickly fell unconscious.

Manfred touched his hand to the building. "Power of three, tell me where you are."

"Room 505!" A female voice shouted, "Hurry!"

"Manfred looked to Lem. "Get Fiji to room 505. Once Jake's soul is reunited with his body its possible Pestilence will try to take over you or Fiji but I know both of you can hold your own against a demon."

Lem carried Fiji in his arms as he zoomed through the hospital. With his vampire powers, he could practically teleport. They arrived at room 505. Lem could not see the three spirits, so he laid Fiji's body in bed with Jake and hoped that would show themselves. He suddenly felt a stabbing sensation. As he turned around a blonde woman held an arrow to a tall hooded man's neck.

Lem reached into the hood and grabbed the creature by its head. "I think Pestilence won't be taking my possession of anyone, anytime soon." He looked at the blonde woman. "I take it that arrow belongs to him?"

"So does this," Caroline held Pestilence's decrepit bow. "I'm Caroline that's Georgia, and our sister Rachel is the one healing your friend."

"I am honored to make your acquaintance, I am called Lem," the vampire looked over to see a girl in wizard robes.

Rachel used her hands to draw out Jake's soul, placing it back into his body. Within moments the man awoke. But the first thing he noticed was Fiji's body. She appeared to be dead.

"Oh dear God," Jake said with tears in his eyes.

"Be strong, Uncle Jake," Rachel said as she touched Fiji's face.

Fiji opened her eyes, "It's ok, "She whispered. "Lily, Joe, Chuy and Creek guard the exterior of the hospital." She coughed slightly as blood drooled down her lips. "Get out of the bed."

Lem tried to hold back Pestilence, but his powers were not enough. As he collapsed back the daemon tried to search for a new host. Olivia appeared and smacked the demon upside the head. "Don't think so." She held a silver dagger that she sprayed with holy water. "You could try for him." she motioned to Manfred. "But he has more than his share of experience being possessed."

Manfred held up his own shield item: a silver cross made from two nails. It appeared to be held together with hair. "This is a sacred cross containing the hair of a powerful demon." He paused, opening his mouth as a cloud of black smoke arose from the pendant. When Manfred blinked his eyes were completely black. "He's an old friend of mine."

Pestilence shoved past him. "Screw this."

Olivia took out her phone. "Joe, Pestilence is headed your way."

"I see him," Joe replied. "Oh fuck."

Chuy's body convulsed. His demon form was coming out, and then going back in. "That doesn't belong to you!" the man shouted. He never used his demon form for power or gain, that form was the last resort to protect the people he loved.

Creek stepped forward, she bravely grasped as Chuy's arm even as the transformation was beginning to take old. "Take me. I'm just a human, I'm won't fight back."

Pestilence was about to take her up on her offer then suddenly there was a crash. Jake Reilly stood before the demon, his body covered in armor that appeared to be liquid metal. Three flames surrounded him, forming a triangle around his face.


	6. Justice

Pestilence laughed, "Dr. Jake Reilly, I presume. Such a large imposing figure is not able to hold his own in battle without the power of three?"

Jake took a step forward, walking with the confidence of a knight. "I have always had the power of three. When my mother died I legally adopted my three sisters. " With fists of gold, he punched Pestilence in the face. The man fell to the ground. He tried to take his spirit form but bars of light fell creating a cage. "I was a father at nineteen." Jake grabbed him by the neck.

"So were a lot of people. I made sure of that." Pestilence grabbed one of the bars of light corrupting it into a beam of dark magic. "So many dead parents, so many abandoned children." Jake punched him in the head but as he did Pestilence stabbed him in the arm, with the darkness. "Do you feel it? The hopelessness, the pain." The demon punched him in the stomach. "What am I talking about, all you have to do is look to your pretty little ghost wife."

Lily knew what Pestilence meant. "I'm sorry."

"You hear that? She's sorry?" Pestilence laughed. "Are you sorry you overdosed? I get a lot of those." He struck Jake in the ribs, causing the armor to fracture. "No, wait, addiction is a sickness- I do believe you, Dr. Reilly once said that." Jake fell to his knees. "What would your colleges say? They would say 'How does that make you feel?' Correct? So let me play psychiatrist: she chose sickness over you. As much as you loved her, as much as you supported her; every kiss, everytime you held her in your arms- all of that meant nothing compared to I had to offer." The demon moved closer, his face inches away from Jake's. "She chose me over you. I made her sick, I caused her to lose her job and everyone she cared about. But she still chose me. She chose to chase that next high until it killed her- until she left you to raise her child alone."

Jake smiled. A ball of white energy had formed in his hand. "No, she didn't." With renewed strength, he punched the demon over and over. "You are not a choice! Death! War! Famine! None of it is of man's choosing!"With the demon bloodied and exhausted, Jake stomped on its chest. "I can't defeat you. But I can send you back to hell!" Thousands of tiny voices were cheering. Jake's hand trembled. The voices were inhabiting his armor, his body.

Fiji knew exactly what the voices were. "Jake I need you to focus, I know how to send a demon back to hell."

"Do you hear the voices?" Jake asked. The sound was so beautiful it brought tears to his eyes.

"Those are the voices of the unborn," she explained. "Your soldiers." Fiji placed her hand to his heart, drawing from his power. The earth shook as a portal opened.

Jake moved his hands and as he did, the demon was crucified on a cross of light, held over a portal of flames.

Clop-clop, clop-clop, the sound of horse hooves approached, from within the cavern. Slowly a rider emerged: a figure clad in black, his face obscured by a hood. "I can take it from here," said a ghostly whisper. "Terribly sorry for any inconvenience my college has caused. "

"Is that?" Creek asked.

"Yeah, it is..." Olivia answered.

The rider chuckled. "Mortals... always so impressed. " He rode by Joe, Chuy, and Lem. "Unlike some...but even then your fates are not guaranteed."

Jake and Fiji took a knee in the horseman's presence. "Have you come to help us?" Fiji asked.

"I have no alliances, I have simply come to retrieve my cohort," he threw a lasso around the body of the demon dragging Pestilence behind him. "Dr. Reilly, 'without darkness, there can be no light', that is a very common saying. One that as a medical professional you know all too well."

Jake nodded. "I am all too familiar with your line of work, but what you do is necessary to the survival of humanity. With loss comes inspiration, revelation. That's why I know my wife loved me. She didn't choose to be sick. Her mind and body were too far gone. You had to take her."

Lily approached Death. He reached out a bony hand to her. "You have done well to guide him, but now you must return."

Lily bowed her head. "Thank you."

Death turned to Jake and the Midnight team. "Dr. Reilly, you and your team are wiser then Pestilence because what he fails to realize is that the reverse is also true. Without light, there can be no darkness."

Joe nodded. "We in Midnight know a little about that."

Death chuckled. "Precisely. Citizens of Midnight, Texas, you fought back the apocalypse, as you should. Never should the four horsemen ride in without opposition." He looked down at Pestilence. "And never shall we cheat to try to tip the scales in our favor." He dragged Pestilence down to hell but as he did, he released Lily's hand and she walked towards a heavenly light.

"See you around," she said with her beauty queen smile.

Joe and Chuy laughed.

"What's so funny?" asked Creek.

Manfred had been quiet for the entire encounter, watching the drama unfold. He put his arm around Creek. "You and me both know Hell is a revolving door. It's the same with Heaven."

"What about for the ones who cross over?" she asked.

Joe answered. "No one truly crosses over, not as long as they have roots on this side."

"So what happens now?" Jake asked.

Fiji turned to him. "You wake up." As she caressed his cheek Jake collapsed. His armor faded away to reveal a hospital gown. "Lem, get him back to his bed. Power of three- watch over him."

* * *

Jake opened his eyes to the sight of the rising sun. Angela was holding his hand. "Dad!" she cried. "He's awake!"

His wife Addison had been asleep in a standard plastic hospital chair with the baby resting on her chest. Angela took baby Henry, carrying him to her father's side. "Henry look. Daddy came back to us."

There were tears in Jake's eyes. As his wife approached his bedside only then did he realize he was on oxygen. He removed the mask, taking a breath of air. His broken ribs were healed. Looking down at his legs, there wasn't even any bruising. He actually felt strong enough to stand.

But that could wait. "Addison," he said with a gasp. He reached out to her, pulling her close for a tender kiss.

"I always knew you'de make it back to us," she said as she touched his face, looking into his dark eyes.

"I had a little help."


	7. Epilogue

1 year later-

For Dr. Jake Reilly life had returned to normal. His body healed, he was able to go back to work. Angela was back in college, less than a year away from earning her pre-med degree.

It was a Saturday. Jake was at home with little Henry, who was now walking. Jake kept a close eye as he cooked dinner, oil poached salmon with lemon-pepper quinoa. Just for fun he also made corn tortilla dough to let Henry play with the salty edible play dough for a while.

He watched as Addison come through the door. In her hand was a pile of mail. "Jake?"

Henry ran to the living room bumping into Addison with an adorable giggle. Jake emerged from the kitchen. "Hey, Babe," he said as he greeted her with a kiss. "Dinner will be done soon, I made your favorite."

"Do you know a Joe Strong?" she asked.

"What?" he laughed.

"Someone named Joe Strong sent you a letter," she handed Jake the paper envelope. "Who is he, how does he know our address?"

Jake barely had an answer to the first question, 'He's an angel I met in what may or may not have been a dream.' He had zero response to the second.- 'internet?' "He's an acquaintance," Jake said as he opened the letter. The letter itself was written on what appeared to be watercolor paper. In the margins were sketches; symbols, figures, things related to what happened that day.

'Dear Jake, I hope this letter finds you well. It is with great joy that I ask you to return to Midnight. You read that correct- joy. This is not a dream; mankind is not under attack by the forces of hell. But there is someone you need to meet; a miracle of sorts. Your friend, Joe. P.S. Lily says hi.'

"What is it?" Addison asked.

"I have two questions- Do you have any vacation days? And do you have any strong feelings about creepy desert towns in Texas?"

Later that week Jake, Addison with baby Henry, were accompanied by Charlotte King and her family to the mysterious town of Midnight.

"Tell me again why we all had to fly Texas?" Charlotte's husband Cooper asked as he pushed their triplets in the stroller.

Cooper's 12-year-old son Mason spoke, "because the babies wanted us to."

Cooper shook his head. "Yes, the babies." He looked down at his daughters. "Uncle Jake gets a letter, your mommy has a strange dream and now we're all headed to the middle of the desert."

After picking up their rental cars Cooper followed Jake along the strangely deserted highway, four hours to the town of Midnight. At first, Jake was unsure of where to go since the GPS was constantly losing signal. But where ever he looked he saw signs; a tree that looked like an angel, a cloud that looked like a demon, even a series of cacti that looked like a playground full of school children.

Shortly after he saw an actual sign, 'Welcome to Midnight, Texas- population 8-'. "Where are we going, exactly?" Addison asked.

"I'll know it when I see it." And he saw it almost immediately; 'Strong Angel Tattoos.' Jake parked the car and stepped out of the driver's seat, unsure of how to proceed.

Manfred emerged from the shadows. "Holy crap it's really you." He held out his hand for a handshake.

Charlotte's family parked behind Jake's car. "This is the place I saw in my dream," she said as her husband unloaded the triplets.

Joe came out of the shop. "Welcome." He said to the entire group.

Charlotte looked at him. "Joe, your name is Joe." Suddenly the babies started to cry.

"Who is he?" Mason asked.

Jake answered. "He's- he's the person who has the answers we seek."

"Actually that person would be Fiji," Joe said. "I can give you'll the walking tour."

"Fiji?" Addison asked. The young witch lived in a house at the edge of town. The home that formerly belonged to her great aunt had a modest exterior, but with a massive garden and greenhouse attached to the back. But that was not what as drawing everyone's attention. In Fiji's arms was a baby. Judging by the clothing it appeared to be a girl.

"Jake!" she said happily. Ran to him, but instead of greeting him with a kiss or even a hug she stopped about six inches from him and raised a hand. The energy from her palm took the form of sparkling blue light. "I know you are your friends are medical doctors, students of science. So what I'm about to say might get taken the wrong way."

Addison took a step forward. "The baby is Jake's..."

Joe nodded. "That was why I cam to Ms. King in a dream, so more than one of you would be on the same page. This is a place of spirits, of magic, of sorcery."

Fiji nodded. "That's why it is not the place to raise a child. Especially not a child born of great power." As she placed the baby in Jake's arms the little girl looked up at him and smiled. "It wasn't a dream, you are the guardian of the unborn, the King of the angels."

Olivia entered through the back garden. "I skyped with my lawyer friend, we hammed out all the details," she said to Fiji, her eyes focused on a package of papers. The blonde suddenly looked up. "Oh, they're here."

Addison shook her head. "You, Fiji- is it? Yes, as you said we are students of science. Now I let say I am willing to put my entire life's work to the side and look at the world through fantasy and magic. The fact remains- why are we here?"

Oliva handed her the papers. "Take a guess."

Addison gave the papers a quick glance. "Fiji wants to give us the baby?"

Fiji's eyes were locked with Jake's. "She was never meant to be mine."

There were tears in Jake's eyes. Mason looked at the other babies. They all seemed to want out of their respective strollers. He started with the triplets. The little girls were old enough to toddle. "Uncle Jake, " Mason said. "sit down on the floor so my sisters can meet the baby." Jake carefully lowered himself to the floor. The three little toddlers surrounded Jake, they little voices squealing with delight.

Mason held his hand out to Fiji. "I'm Mason, that's my dad and Ms. Cartlotte is my step-mom."

"You're such a sweet young man," she said as she shook his hand.

"Thank you," Mason said as he moved baby Henry closer to Jake.

"What's the baby's name?" Mason asked.

Addison looked at the paperwork. "She doesn't have a name? How have you been referring to her?"

"Her name is Wish," Fiji replied. "My little wish." She knelt down to Jake who was surrounded by curious toddlers. "And your princesses."

Jake wiped tears from his eyes. "I can't. I can't take your daughter."

Joe spoke up,"You must. It's not safe for her here. She will be a constant target for creatures looking to feed on or steal her power."

"You think I can protect her better than a team headed by an angel?" Jake asked.

Joe sat by his side. "Mason, someone wants to say hello." He waved his hand opening a portal of pure light.

The boy's eyes were focused on something beyond the light. "Mom?"

Joe touched little Wish's forehead. "Your world is surrounded by guardian spirits. There is no doubt in my mind or heart, this precious child will be safe in California."

The group would spend the night in town, meeting the rest of the cast of characters. The next morning they would head back to the city in preparation for their flight back to California.

Baby Wish was able to fly as a lap child, sitting with her father. On the flight, Jake fell asleep with the baby in his arms. He awoke to his wife gently stroking his hand. She had been holding Henry who was, squirming, trying to see the baby.

"I had an idea for a name," she said. "Lily Angel Reilly."

Her words caused little Henry to shriek with delight.

Jake chuckled. "I like it."


End file.
